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“There’s a ‘B’ in subtle?”

Let’s begin by noting that “believe” is one of the oldest words in the English language.

The Middle English word was belevan, from the Old English belefan:be (about)and lyfan or lefan, which — quite significantly— was derived from the Old English leof ,“dear or pleasing” and and lufu, “love.”

To believe is to make a choice. Like Beadie turning the porch light back on.

To believe is not the same thing as to know.

Not at all.

Welcome to Season Five.

According to the paper, it’s spring in Baltimore and while it may be a new year, no one fucking believes it’s a new day anymore.

Indeed, despite time’s passage, some things seem just like old times. The drug trade is thriving, Marlo’s more reptilian than ever. The Major Crimes Unit is back on the rooftops and skulking around in vans. Pearlman and Daniels are still together, so are Burrell and Rawls. In her jeans and cap, Kima’s back to looking like a dyke. And that guy McNulty was talking about in the S4 finale? The one that almost killed him? Jimmy Bust Balls? He’s back too. You’ll find him in the bar.*

I’m late to the game with my post, but even if I wasn’t, there’s nothing much I can add to yesterday’s entertaining and excellent discussion here regarding the newspaper/media plotline. I’m thrilled at the journo-cred you all bring with you.

As for what else is new and different this season, the hoppers zipping around on scooters liven things up a bit. As do the cops brawling in the squad room and parking lot and waving their overtime chits like so much confederate currency.

Meanwhile, Herc in a suit? With an expense account? Oy.

Bubbles marking time in the basement, walking the streets at night, shuffling along with his newspapers, seems intact, well fed, and determined, if completely joyless and a more than a few quarts low on serenity. Speaking of joyless, I think my heart turned inside out for Dukie. “I ain’t you, Michael.” Indeed. We know that’s not a lie.

Finally of course, as noted, not a shred of shine left on Carcetti. Which brings me to the subject of the post title.

“Whatever it is, it’s not true.”

I don’t know Nancy well enough yet to know if she’s getting smarter but it wouldn’t surprise me. However, I have to agree with Ray, I don’t think Simon et al have slipped. Not a bit. Or, in keeping with the theme, I still believe in them. This, despite the fact that, as noted, they seemed to be using a much bigger-than-usual brush with regard to the Lying vs. Truth theme in this episode. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they were using a putty knife or anything, but it felt…well, not as subtle as we’ve grown accustomed to. There was a whole lot of lying for just one episode, even if it was the first one.

Maybe Ray is right and we’re overthinking it. Entirely possible. I’ve been known to engage in such activity (As anyone who spent any time with me on the forums during what my ex refers to as “the Buffy years” might remember… )

Nonetheless, I’m gonna go out a little further on this limb. (For the record, I am slightly spoiled about a few plot points but this isn’t one of them.) I’m wondering if we aren’t perhaps being subjected to some misdirection ourselves regarding some of what we already “know.” In particular with regard to the city budget.

I’m not saying Naresse embezzled 54 million dollars or anything, but we know she wants to be mayor. And now we know she’s dirty, and possessed of a seemingly formidable campaign machine that not-so-coincidentally seems pretty mobbed up with the workings of the city council. She doesn’t strike me as the type to just cool her heels for two years and wait for Carcetti to make his move so she can take his place as promised. I have to wonder if she, along with some of the rest of the Royce holdovers that brought Carcetti up to speed on the budget infrastructure … well, if they lied about some stuff so that Carcetti would come out of the starting blocks and run right into a hole. Yes, it seems pretty outrageous, but so does giving a high profile drug dealer a million bucks when the police are working free overtime and can’t even get their radio cars fixed.

Overthinking? Very possibly, but wouldn’t it would be fun to watch?

Whatever happens, I’m so glad this season has finally started, I can barely stand it.

*Speaking of old times, I’m still partial to the Homicide version of the lie detector scene, even thought it seems a tad overdone in comparison to the one in this episode. What can I say, I’m an Old Testament kinda girl.